Planetary rolling mill

ABSTRACT

A rolling mill comprises a working stand accommodating planetary (rolls) assemblies. Each assembly has an idle backup roll provided on an eccentric portion of the axle of that roll with the possibility of rotation, and a set of work rolls spaced along the periphery of the outer cylindrical surface of the backup roll, as well as a separator mounted on the backup roll axle, rotation being transmitted to the separator from the backup roll axle via a gear train with a gear ratio equal to the number of work rolls in the set. As the axis of rotation of the backup roll does not coincide with its axle and is eccentrical about it, the summation of the backup motion of the separators and the travel of the centers of rotation of the backup rolls brings about the situation when the resultant motion of the centers of rotation of the work rolls will take the form of a curve with a portion close to linear and parallel to the rolling axis.

United States Patent Tselikov et al.

14 1 Sept. 30, 1975 1 PLANETARY ROLLING MILL [76] Inventors: Alexandr lvanovich Tselikov, ulitsa Chernyakhovskogo, 4, kv. 127; Evgeny Alexandrovich Zhukevich-Stosha, ulitsa Mira, 43, RV. 5; Oleg Pavlovich Soloviev, Novo-Alexecvskaya ulitsa, 4, korpus 3, kv. 86, all of Moscow, USSR.

[22 Filed: Nov. 13, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 415,377

[52] U.S. Cl 72/190; 72/406 [51] Int. Cl. B21B 13/20 [58] Field of Search 72/190, 240, 407, 408, 72/406 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 771,611 10/1904 Davis 72/190 3,210,981 10/1965 Sendzimir.. 72/190 3,439,519 4/1969 Gerding..... 72/190 3,557,593 1/1971 Bollig et al.... 72/190 3.577.760 5/1971 Franke 72/240 Primary Examiner-Lowell A. Larson Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Waters, Schwartz & Nissen [5 7 ABSTRACT A rolling mill comprises a working stand accommodating planetary (rolls) assemblies. Each assembly has an idle backup roll provided on an eccentric portion of the axle of that roll with the possibility of rotation, and a set of work rolls spaced along the periphery of the outer cylindrical surface of the backup roll, as well as a separator mounted on the backup roll axle, rotation being transmitted to the separator from the backup roll axle via a gear train with a gear ratio equal to the number of work rolls in the set. As the axis of rotation of the backup roll does not coincide with its axle and is eccentrical about it, the summation of the backup motion of the separators and the travel of the centers of rotation of the backup rolls brings about the situation when the resultant motion of the centers of rotation of the work rolls will take the form of a curve with a portion close to linear and parallel to the rolling axis.

2 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet 1 of5 3,908,422

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US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet 3 of5 3,908,422

U.S. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet 4 of 5 3,908,422

U.S. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet5 of5 3,908,422

FIE. 1U

PLANETARY ROLLING MILL The present invention relates to metallurgical machine-building and more particularly to planetary rolling mills.

Known in the art is a planetary rolling mill comprising a working stand whose housing accommodates planetary (rolls) assemblies, each assembly being made up of an idle backup roll whose drive axle is arranged in bearing chucks and of a set of work rolls spaced along the periphery of the 'outer cylindrical surface of the backup roll with their axles being parallel to the axle of said backup roll and resting on the latter, the chucks of the work rolls being connected with drive separators provided on the axle of the backup roll, and a drive of the planetary rolls of the mill, consisting of a spindle rotated, via a pinion stand and a reducer, by an electric motor (see, e.g., the British Pat. No. 609706).

In the above mill, the axle of the backup roll is fixed, while the rotation of the separators is effected directly through said backup roll axle secured on which rigidly are the separator disks.

As a result of such design, the separator rotation results in making the work rolls it entrains move along a circular orbit, which causes buckles on the rolled stock emerging from such mill.

Also known is a planetary rolling mill comprising a working stand whose housing accommodates planetary (rolls) assemblies, each eassembly being fitted with a drive backup roll mounted in bearing chucks, and a set of work rolls spaced along the periphery of the cylindrical surface of the backup roll with the directionv of their axles being parallel to the axle of the backup roll and resting on the latter, the chucks of said work rolls being connected with idle separators freely rotating on the backup roll necks, as well as a mill drive made up of spindles rotatable by an electric motor via a pinion stand and a reducer (see the US Pat. No. 2710550).

In this stand, the backup roll axleis also fixed, and the planetary assemblies are rotated via the backup rolls.

As a result, the rotation of the backup rolls causes the movement of the work rolls squeezed between the rolled stock and the backup roll along a circular orbit, which also causes buckles on the stock emerging from such mill.

Although the mills with the rolls moving along the circular orbit are relatively simple in design, they fail to provide the gauging of ready stock and necessitate the provision of an additional finisher.

Known also in the art is a rolling mill comprising master forms fixed in the stand housing, on which work rolls are resting via intermediate rolls made up of axles with sleeves. The bearings of the work and intermediate rolls are mounted in movable chucks coupled with the drive separators. The rotation of said separators is effected via a gear train by the motor.

In this mill, proper profilling of a master'form helps achieve the gauging of the stock as well as reduce portions of a greater length (see the FRG Pat. No. 956393).

However, the provision of the intermediate rolls of an intricate design and movable chucks of the intermediate and work rolls makes the construction of this mill complicated which restricts its employment.

of contact with the rolled stock;

An object of the invention is to provide a planetary mill as would be simple in design and permit the gauging of the rolled stock emerging from such mill, with an increased length of a portion reduced.

This and other objects are achieved in a rolling mill which comprises a-.working stand whose housing accommodates planetary (rolls) assemblies, each assembly being fitted with an idle backup roll whose drive axle .is mounted in bearing chucks, and a set of work rolls spaced along the periphery of the outer cylindrical surface of said backup roll and resting on the latter, the chucks of the work rolls being hinged to drive separators mounted on the backup roll axle, and the drive of each planetary (rolls) assembly including a spindle rotated by an electric motor via a pinion stand and a reducer; According to the invention, the axle of the backup roll. has an eccentric portion wherein the backup roll freely rotating thereon is arranged, while the separator is .made also freely rotatable on the backup roll axle, the rotation being transmitted to the separator from the backup roll axle viaa gear train with a gear ratio equal to the number of the work rollsin the set, the direction of the separator rotation coinciding with the direction of the rotation of the backup roll axle.

So, the invention was realized in a planetary rolling mill permitting to reduce metal with a simultaneous gauging of the rolled stock, as well as to extend the Iength'of a'portion being reduced.

It is feasible to provide another idle gear in the gear train of the separator drive, which permits to change the direction of rotation of the backup roll axle for the opposite one with regard to the direction of the separator rotation.

Such embodiment is practicable in case of rolling with major feeds on each reducing cycle, which is indispensable, e.g., for producing quality metal of the rolled stock at'its limited total draughtings. I

The'invention will be more apparent from the description of its exemplary embodiment and relates drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a planetary rolling mill of the invention, longitudinal section;

FIG. 2 shows a section IIII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a section IIIIII of FIG. 1 (section along the pinion stand); I

FIG. '4 shows a functional diagram of a planetary (rolls) assembly in the initial stage of a billet being reduced by the work roll, the rotation of the eccentric and the separator being commentary;

FIG. 5 shows ditto, when the center of the work roll is passing a line connecting the axles of the backup rolls;

FIG. 6 shows ditto, when the work roll is coming out FIG. 7 shows a functional diagram of a planetary (rolls) assembly in the initial stage of a billet being reduced by the work roll, the rotation of the eccentric and the separator being the metting one;

FIG. 8 shows ditto, when the center of the work roll is passing a line connecting the axles of the backup rolls;

FIG. 9 shows ditto when the work roll is coming out of contact with the rolled stock; and

FIG. 10 shows avariant of assembly A as of FIG. 2

(a gear train of the separator drive).

The planetary rolling mill shown in FIG. 1 has a working stand 1 fed into which for rolling via a feeder 2 is a billet 3 and a working stand drive made up of spindles 4 rotatable via a pinion stand 5, sleeve 6, reducer 7, and a motor sleeve 8 by means of an electric motor 9. As a result of rolling the billet 3, a rolled stock 10 is emerging from said stand 1.

The working stand 1 has a housing 11 (FIG. 2) provided inside which on guides 12 are four assemblies 13 of the planetary rolls of a similar design. The spacing between the axles 14 of the backup rolls is adjusted by means of thrust screws 15.

Each of the planetary (rolls) assemblies 13 has, in its turn, a backup roll 16 freely mounted on an eccentric portion 17 provided in the middle part of the axle 14 of said roll, said middle part rotating on bearings 18 and 19 planted in adjustable chucks 20 and 21.

Arranged on the backup roll along the periphery of its outer cylindrical surface is a set of uniformly spaced work rolls 22 with their axles being parallel to the acles 14 of the backup roll and resting on the latter. Bearings 23 of the work rolls are mounted in levers 24 connected, via axles 25, with a separator 26 freely set on the axle 14 of the backup roll. Said separator 26 is made up of two disks rigidly connected to each other, the idle one 27 and the drive one 28. Said separator 26 is mounted on bearings 29 can rotate independently of the axle 14 of the backup roll 16. The separator is rotated via a gear train 30 made as a gear wheel 31 secured on the drive disk 28 and connected with a gear wheel 32 of the backup roll axle 14 via a gear wheel 33 and a pinion 34 borne by a common axle 35 provided in the chuck 21. The total gear ratio of the gear train 30 from the backup roll axle 14 to the separator 26 is equal to the number of the work rolls 22 spaced around one backup roll 16, i.e., to six (the number of work rolls can vary).

The rotation of the backup roll axle 14 is effected by means of a gear train 36 made up of a bevel gear 37 secured on said backup roll axle 14 and a bevel gear 39 with an axle 39 provided in the chuck 21 parallel to the rolling axis II. The other end 39 (FIG. 1) rotates via the spindle 4 by means of the pinion stand 5.

The pinion stand 5 has a central gear wheel 40 (FIG. 3) whose axle coincides with the rolling axis, rotated by a pinion 41.

For the passage of the ready stock 10, there is a central hole 42 in the gear wheel 40.

Arranged around the gear wheel 40 are four mill pinions 43 to which the spindles 4 are connected.

Rotation onto the pinion stand 5 is transmitted by an electric motor 9 via the reducer 7 and the sleeves 6 and Provided at the inlet to the working stand 1 for guiding the billet 3 is an entry guide 44 and at the outlet for guiding the ready stock 10 an exit guide 45.

In the construction of the planetary rolling mill described hereinabove, the direction of rotation of the backup roll axle 14 coincides with the direction of rotation of the separator 26.

The planetary rolling mill is operated as follows.

An electric motor 9 brings into rotation a pinion 41 of a pinion stand 5 via a motor sleeve 8, reducer 7, and a sleeve 6.

The pinion 41 rotates a gear wheel 40 and four mill pinions 43 coupled thereto.

From the mill pinions 43, the rotation is transmitted by means of spindles 4 to the bevel gear trains 36 provided in each of the four planetary (rolls) assemblies 13.

These bevel gear trains directly rotate the backup rolls axles 14 as they do the separators 26, via a gear train 30 made up of wheels 32, 33, 31 and a gear 34, in the direction shown by pointers in FIG. 1, said separators making 1/6 of a turn. i.e.. a pitch of the work rolls. during one revolution of the axles 14.

Via axles 25 and levers 24, the drive separators entrain into circular motion the work rolls 22 which, while rolling along the metal being rolled and squeezing the latter. rotate backup rolls 16.

As the axle of rotation of the backup roll 16 does not coincide with its axle 14 but is eccentrical about it, the summation of the peripheral movement of the separators 26 and the travel of the centers of rotation of the backup rolls 16 brings about the situation when the resultant travel of the centers of rotation of the work rolls will take the form of a curve with a portion close to linear and parallel to the rolling axis II and with a reduced portion of a greater length.

Due to the fact that on the four planetary (rolls) assemblies 13 with the axles of the backup rolls, work rolls and separators being mutually perpendicularly in pairs the separators 26 are mutually shifted in pairs on the axles of the backup rolls by half a pitch of the work rolls 22 and the eccentrics are mutually shifted in pairs by half a turn, the simultaneous rotation of all the separators 26 will result in a billet 3 being reduced alternately by the pairs of the work rolls 22 in two mutually perpendicular directions.

The invention will be more apparent from FIGS. 4 to 9 showing the positioning of the work roll, the eccentric and the separator of the planetary roll assembly at different positions of the work roll in the course of its billet reduction cycle per one revolution of the eccentric.

Rotating about the point 0 (axle of the backup roll 16) (FIG. 4) is the eccentric OA (17) and the separator OB (26). The level BC (24) is hinged to the work roll 22, radius r resting on the backup roll 16, radius R, and the separator OB (26). As a result, a hinged four-link chain AOBC is formed with constant sides and one 'fixed point 0. The directions of rotation of the eccentric, separator, backup and work rolls, as well as the direction of the metal feed are indicated with pointers.

As each of the work rolls completes the cycle of reducing the billet from its biting to gauging, the eccentric OA 17 will make a complete revolution during the time necessary for the separator OB 26 to turn by an angle equal to the pitch of the work rolls.

When the direction of the eccentric rotation coincides with the direction of the separator rotation, the eccentricity OA at a preset sum total AC of the radii of the backup R and work r rolls will depend, for securing the maximum length of the gauging portion AB of the trajectory ef upon the number of work rolls spaced around one backup roll and the relation of the lengths of the lever BC and the radius OB of the separator and is selected graphically.

E.g., in a planetary rolling mill shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, when the number of work rolls around one backup roll is equal to six and the relation of the lengths of the lever BC and the radius OB of the separator is 0.6, the relation of the eccentricity 0A to the sum total of the radii of the backup R and work r rolls will be equal to In the case under consideration, the profile of the gauging portion ab is not, strictly speaking, a straight line, Yet, its deviation from the straight line is negligible and cannot affect the quality of the rolled stock.

To secure the parallelism of the portion ab to the rolling axle ll, it is necessary that the point A of the eccentric be on the extension of the line 00, when the center C of the work roll is on that line (FlG. 5).

The reduction zone mb being the equidistant trajectory of the travel of the work roll center, as seen from FIG. 4, is more advantageous as being of a greater length, than the reduction zone nk of the common-type planetary mill, R being the sum total of the radius of the backup roll and the diameter of the work roll.

Once the work roll center C passed the line 00,, the work roll center travels parallel to the rolling axis on the portion equal to kl; (FIG. 6) and thereafter said work roll begins to depart from the rolling axis.

To ensure better gauging of the rolled stock in case of major feeds of the billet 3 per each cycle of its reduction by the work rolls 22, it may prove more practicable that the axle 14 of the backup rolls with the eccentric portions 17 be rotated in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the separators 26.

With the eccentric l7 rotating in a direction opposite to the rotation of the separator 26, the configuration of the reduction zone will be different from that in case of its commentary rotation.

In this case, the value of the eccentricity 0A (FIG. 7) being selected properly, similar to the one mentioned hereinabove, the gauging portion ab is obtained of a greater length with the same number of work rolls and the same sum total AC of the radii of the backup R and work rolls, but with a shorter and steeper reducing portion ma.

Like in the previous case, to ensure the parallelism of the sizing portion ab and the rolling axis l-l, it is necessary that the point A of the eccentric be on the extension of the line 00 when the center C of the work roll is on that line (FIG. 8).

Once the work roll passed the sizing portion ab, its center begins to depart from the rolling axis ll (FIG. 9) beyond the point b.

In case the mutually opposite rotation of the axle 14 of the backup roll 16 and the separator 26 is necessary, provision should be made for an additional idle gear 46 (FIG. in the gear train 30 of the drive of the separator 26, the axle 47 of this additional idle gear being secured in a chuck 48.

We claim:

1. A planetary rolling mill comprising: a working stand having a housing, an electric motor with a drive connected to said working stand; a plurality of planetary roll assemblies arranged in said housing, each of said planetary roll assemblies including an idle backup roll; a drive axle mounting said backup roll; bearing chucks in said stand housing supporting said drive axle, in eccentric portion on said drive axle on which said backup roll is freely rotatably supported; a set of work rolls positioned about the periphery of the outer cylindrical surface of said backup roll having the axles thereof in parallel with the axle of said backup roll and resting on the latter; a drive separator freely rotating relative to said work rolls; a device for rotating said axle of the backup rolls being operatively connected to said electric motor; a gear train having a gear ratio equal to the number of said work rolls in each said assembly, said gear train transmitting rotation to said separator from said backup roll axle in a direction coinciding with the direction of rotation of the axle of said backup roll; said planetary roll assemblies with the axles of said backup rolls, work rolls and separators being paired to extend in mutually perpendicular directions; said separators being mutually shifted in pairs on the axles of said backup rolls by one-halfa pitch of said work rolls and said eccentrics being mutually shifted in pairs by half a turn; said eccentrics and separators being collectively coupled therewith for concurrent rotation, the pairs of the work rolls alternately reducing a billet in two mutually perpendicular directions and, with the axis of rotation of said backup roll being displaced relative to the axle thereof and arranged eccentrically about the latter, the summation of the peripheral motion of said separators and the travel of the centers of rotation of said backup rolls causing the resultant travel of the centers of rotation of said work rolls to assume the form of a curve having a portion approximately linear and extending in parallel to the axis of rolling.

2. A planetary rolling mill comprising: a working stand having a housing; an electric motor with a drive connected to said working stand; a plurality of planetary roll assemblies arranged in said housing, each of said planetary assemblies including an idle backup roll; a drive axle mounting said backup roll; bearing chucks in said stand housing of the stand, an eccentric portion on said drive axle on which said backup roll is freely rotatably supported; a set of work rolls spaced about the periphery of the outer cylindrical surface of said backup roll having the axles thereof in parallel with the axle of said backup roll and resting on the latter; a drive separator mounted to freely rotate on said axle of the backup roll and hinged to the chucks of said work rolls; a device for rotating said axle of the backup roll being operatively connected with said electric motor; a gear train having a gear ratio equal to the number of said work rolls in each assembly, said gear train transmitting rotation to said separator from said axle of the backup roll in a direction reverse to the direction of rotation of said axle of this backup roll; a supplementary idle gear provided in said gear train having a gear ratio equal to the number of said work rolls in each said assembly for changing the direction of rotation of the backup roll axle to an opposite one; said planetary roll assemblies with the axles of said backup rolls, work rolls and separators being arranged to extend mutually perpendicular in pairs; said separators being mutually shifted in pairs on said axles of the backup rolls by one-half a pitch of said work rolls and said eccentrics being mutually shifted in pairs by half a turn; all of said eccentrics and separators coupled therewith being concurrently rotated, the pairs of the work rolls alternately reducing a billet in two mutually perpendicular directions and, with the axis of rotation of said backup roll being displaced relative to the axle thereof and eccentrically about the latter, the summation of the peripheral motion of said separators and the travel of the centers of rotation of said backup rolls causing the resultant travel of the centers of rotation of said work rolls to assume the form of a curve having a portion approximately linear and extending in parallel to the axis of rolling. 

1. A planetary rolling mill comprising: a working stand having a housing, an electric motor with a drive connected to said working stand; a plurality of planetary roll assemblies arranged in said housing, each of said planetary roll assemblies including an idle backup roll; a drive axle mounting said backup roll; bearing chucks in said stand housing supporting said drive axle, in eccentric portion on said drive axle on which said backup roll is freely rotatably supported; a set of work rolls positioned about the periphery of the outer cylindrical surface of said backup roll having the axles thereof in parallel with the axle of said backup roll and resting on the latter; a drive separator freely rotating relative to said work rolls; a device for rotating said axle of the backup rolls being operatively connected to said electric motor; a gear train having a gear ratio equal to the number of said work rolls in each said assembly, said gear train transmitting rotation to said separator from said backup roll axle in a direction coinciding with the direction of rotation of the axle of said backup roll; said planetary roll assemblies with the axles of said backup rolls, work rolls and separators being paired to extend in mutually perpendicular directions; said separators being mutually shifted in pairs on the axles of said backup rolls by one-half a pitch of said work rolls and said eccentrics being mutually shifted in pairs by half a turn; said eccentrics and separators being collectively coupled therewith for concurrent rotation, the pairs of the work rolls alternately reducing a billet in two mutually perpendicular directions and, with the axis of rotation of said backup roll being displaced relative to the axle thereof and arranged eccentrically about the latter, the summation of the peripheral motion of said separators and the travel of the centers of rotation of said backup rolls causing the resultant travel of the centers of rotation of said work rolls to assume the form of a curve having a portion approximately linear and extending in parallel to the axis of rolling.
 2. A planetary rolling mill comprising: a working stand having a housing; an electrIc motor with a drive connected to said working stand; a plurality of planetary roll assemblies arranged in said housing, each of said planetary assemblies including an idle backup roll; a drive axle mounting said backup roll; bearing chucks in said stand housing of the stand, an eccentric portion on said drive axle on which said backup roll is freely rotatably supported; a set of work rolls spaced about the periphery of the outer cylindrical surface of said backup roll having the axles thereof in parallel with the axle of said backup roll and resting on the latter; a drive separator mounted to freely rotate on said axle of the backup roll and hinged to the chucks of said work rolls; a device for rotating said axle of the backup roll being operatively connected with said electric motor; a gear train having a gear ratio equal to the number of said work rolls in each assembly, said gear train transmitting rotation to said separator from said axle of the backup roll in a direction reverse to the direction of rotation of said axle of this backup roll; a supplementary idle gear provided in said gear train having a gear ratio equal to the number of said work rolls in each said assembly for changing the direction of rotation of the backup roll axle to an opposite one; said planetary roll assemblies with the axles of said backup rolls, work rolls and separators being arranged to extend mutually perpendicular in pairs; said separators being mutually shifted in pairs on said axles of the backup rolls by one-half a pitch of said work rolls and said eccentrics being mutually shifted in pairs by half a turn; all of said eccentrics and separators coupled therewith being concurrently rotated, the pairs of the work rolls alternately reducing a billet in two mutually perpendicular directions and, with the axis of rotation of said backup roll being displaced relative to the axle thereof and eccentrically about the latter, the summation of the peripheral motion of said separators and the travel of the centers of rotation of said backup rolls causing the resultant travel of the centers of rotation of said work rolls to assume the form of a curve having a portion approximately linear and extending in parallel to the axis of rolling. 